Vote On Owners' Proposal, But Quick Settlement Unlikely

Players To Vote On Owners' Proposal, But Approval Unlikely

Players To Vote On Proposal

The NHL Players Association Monday delayed its strike deadline until 3 p.m. Wednesday to allow a vote on the owners' latest offer for a collective bargaining agreement.

But when NHLPA executive director Bob Goodenow started his news conference at 11:20 a.m. Monday in Toronto -- 40 minutes before the first players strike in NHL history had been scheduled -- he did not sound close to an agreement.

The players' negotiating committee already has recommended unanimously to reject the owners' proposal. After a conference call with each team's player representative, Goodenow said: "The overall feeling was to allow all the players the opportunity to vote on the offer."

Asked if he thought the full body of the NHLPA would overturn the committee's recommendation, Goodenow said: "I can't imagine that.

"I think it could be a long strike. We wanted the players to understand it wasn't just threatening the Stanley Cup playoffs, but might jeopardize the start of next season."

Whalers player representative Pat Verbeek, contacted at home after arriving with his teammates from Buffalo, N.Y., said, "I agree 100 percent with what Bob said. We want to make sure all the players understand what was negotiated the past 48 hours and give them the chance to decide."

If he receives all the necessary information, Verbeek said he will hold a secret ballot at practice today.

Because the Whalers' 8:20 a.m. flight was delayed, Verbeek said he was able to stay on the 8 a.m. conference call for about 30 minutes.

The Whalers are scheduled to receive their paychecks today, and general manager Ed Johnston said the club has no intention of withholding them. There was no practice scheduled Monday.

The latest proposal by the owners, who initially wanted a four-year agreement, is for one year. The players presented a two-year counter proposal at 2 a.m. Sunday. The players initially were interested in a three-year deal.

"Why would the players strike over this when short term and not long term was what they said they were seeking in the first place?" NHL President John Ziegler said.

Whalers owner Richard Gordon said he took the strike postponement as "a positive sign that maybe we can work this out."

But Sabres general manager Gerry Meehan said: "I see it only as some breathing room."

Verbeek said the players don't believe the owners' claims they've gone from a $46 million profit last season to a $9 million loss this season and Ziegler's estimate of a $70 million loss next season. The players believe the owners will make $24 million this season.

After reading critical statements by Verbeek in Monday's Courant, Gordon said: "I was disappointed in Pat's lack of trust in us. Our books are open. The future of the game is at stake. Both of us have to survive. Without trust, we're going nowhere."

Johnston said he was upset about Verbeek's remark that players no longer had a "1940s mentality."

"I'd hate to think that Mr. Verbeek was saying Gordie Howe, a forerunner of the players' pension, is not intelligent," Johnston said. "Mr. Howe is a pretty smart guy. If not for people like him, the players wouldn't be making all the money they do today."

Said Verbeek: "I'm not calling anybody dumb. For years, players thought, `Don't hurt the game.' The owners preyed on that particular mentality -- that mindset. Now hockey is big business. The players don't believe the owners anymore."

Ziegler's official response early Monday night took a questioning stance: "Why would players who have experienced a 56 percent pay and benefits increase over the last two years consider going on strike? "Why reject an offer which would give the average NHL player a pension of $430,000 a year for life at age 62? Why reject an ownership offer which would give them $7 of out every $10 that NHL teams earn from gate receipts and TV revenue? Why go on strike when already -- right now -- NHL players receive $9 of every $10 a fan spends on a ticket? "Why would players reject a medical plan which is unequaled in any sport or industry in North America? Why go on strike and reject total free agency for players who have served 10 years and are not making the average salary? Why reject a free-agent system, which by everybody's calculation, will create an average salary of at least $420,000 next season?"

Although Ziegler left Chicago, where the owners met Sunday, for Toronto, further negotiations have not been scheduled.

Buffalo player representative Grant Ledyard gave some details of the players' latest proposal, which were confirmed by Verbeek.

"We leaned toward the owners on four or five issues," Ledyard said. "We'd change free agency from [age] 31 to 30, although we wanted 29 or 28.